Pilot controlled reversing valve mechanism



y 1953 w. w. PAGET 2,638,923

' PILOT CONTROLLED REVERSING VALVE MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 .3. E119 fizz/enter: I Zdin ZlZPagei 92 ygrQ. FXM

mu m lh mm 2 H II attorney May 19, 1953 w. w. PAGET PILOT CONTROLLED REVERSING VALVE MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 25, 1

152221972 for:

attorney Patented May 19, 1953 PILOT CONTROLLED REVERSING VALVE MECHANISM Win W. Paget, Michigan City, Ind., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 25, 1948, Serial No. 35,092

4 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic reversing valves, especially to valves for the periodic switching of fluid flow between two alternative conduits. v

The valve of this invention has particular application to oxygen production apparatus of the type shown in patent applications Serial Nos. 30,388 and 31,018, filed June 1, 1948 and June 4, 1948, but it will be understood that it can be used in other industrial applications requiring valves having similar characteristics.

-In oxygen generators of the type disclosed and claimed in the above-identified applications, water and carbon dioxide are removed from the entering air stream by condensation and/or freezing on the walls of the first two heat exchangers because of cooling of the conduit by contact with the outgoing waste gas (largely nitrogen) and outgoing oxygen product.

The water and carbon dioxide thus collected on the inner walls of the entering conduit have to be removed periodically to keep the conduit from becoming plugged. To accomplish this purpose, the conduits in the first two heat exchangers for entering air and leaving effluent (waste gas) are periodically switched or interchanged, enabling the leaving efliuent to carry off the water and carbon dioxide by entrainment and/or sublimation.

It is highly desirable that the switch between conduits be made with a suddenness approximating an explosion, in order that a great quantity of the accumulated water and carbon dioxide may be jarred loose from the conduit Walls, to be then carried out by the leaving eiiluent.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an automatic valve which allows a pair of conduits carrying different fluids to be interchanged, in order that impurities deposited out of the incoming fluid may be periodically removed by the outgoing fluid to prevent clogging of the conduit for the incoming fluid. It is another object of the invention to provide a valve in which the aforesaid interchange is accomplished so suddenly as to subject; the system to a physical shock such that impurities will be dislodged from the conduit walls and will thereafter be carried out by the leaving fluid.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is atop plan view of a valve mechanism made according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation view of a portion of the mechanism showing details of th 091m and rocker arms. V

Fig. 4 is a view in section on the plane of line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows a portion of the valve, on the same section plane as Fig. 4 but showing the movable internal member in another operating position.-

Fig. 6 is a View. in section substantially on the plane of line 6--6 of Fig. 4, with a portion of the mechanism broken away and in section for a better disclosure of one of the fluid passages.

Fig. '7 is a view insection on the plane of line l-l of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a detailed view of a portion of the mechanism similar to Fig. 7 but showing the cam and one of the cam followers in a diiferent operating position.

Fig. 9 is a view in section on the plane of line 9-5 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a view in section on the plane of line I0I0 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 11 is a circuit diagram which shows schematically the pneumatic circuit including the external connections, the valves and the conduits.

A casing 2 is provided with a substantially cylindrical cavity 4 and is provided with a plu-. rality of fluid passages as will be discussed in detail below. A substantially cylindrical internal member 6 is reciprocable in the internal cavity into a plurality of operating positions. The walls of the cylindrical cavity of the casing may, if desired, provide the surface on which internal member 6 slides as it reciprocates into its different operating positions, but in the preferred form of the invention, a removable sleeve 8 is fitted in the cavity 4 and is itself provided with a substantially cylindrical cavity I 0, the walls of which provide the surface on which internal member 6 reciprocates. Sleeve 8 is provided with a flange l2 which is clamped between the open end M of body 2 and a cover 16, the cover It being secured in place by threaded members [8.

The cylindrical cavity 4 has a plurality of annular grooves or recesses 20, 22, 24 and 26. Fluid seals for the annular grooves are provided by means of O-ring' packing 2'! disposed in grooves provided in the external surface of the sleeve, in such a manner that each groove 20, 22, 24, 26 lies between two O-ring packings. The annular groove or recess 20 cooperates with a plurality of radial passages 28 in sleeve 8 to form fluid passages to the interior of the sleeve. Annular groove. 22. cooperatesgwith a plurality of radial passages 30 in sleeve 8 to form still other fluid passages to the interior of the sleeve. Annular groove 24 cooperateswith radial passages 32 in the sleeve to form additional fluid passages, and annular groove 26 cooperates with radial passages 34 in the sleeve to form still other fluid passages.

A fluid conduit 36 is in communication with annular groove it by way of a passage 38 in the casing; a fluid conduit M3 is in communication with annular groove 22 through the passage $2; a conduit A l is in communication with annular groove 24! through passage 46; and a conduit 4% communicates with annular groove 25 through passage 5i One of the fluid conduits is constantly connected to a source of fluid under substantial pressure. In the application of the invention referred to in the above identified patent applications, conduit 44 is constantly connected to a source or" compressed air at a pressure of approximately 160 p. s. i. gauge. A passage 52 in the casing is in constant communication with the compressed air supply by way of the annular groove 24.

A fluid passage 54 in sleeve 8 connects the right end of the cylindrical cavity l -of the sleevewith a fluid passage 36 in the valve casing. A. fluid passage &3 (Fig. in thecasing communicates with the left end of the cylindrical cavity H] of the sleeve. As is best seen in Fig. 4, no passage through the left end of sleeve '8 is necessary because there is a clearance between the left end of sleeve 8 and the extreme left end of the cavity 4.

In the preferred form or the invention, internal member 6 is'a substantially cylindrical piece having a plurality of fluid passages therethrough. The fluid passages are provided by making the member hollow, somewhat in the form of a shell, and providing two sets of radial passages til and 62 in the shell.

A piston 64, slotted as shown 'at-65, is formed at the left end of the member 6, and another piston 65, slotted as shown at 51, is formed at the right end thereof, as viewed in 'Figs. 4 and 5. Pistons 64 and 56 cooperate with the internal cylindrical surfaces of sleeve 8 to form a pair of oppositely acting pressure sensitive members. We may consider for the purposes of discussion that the piston li operates in a cylinder 68, and that the piston 6'6 operates in a cylinder '39. Pistons 6A and -66 may be provided with fluid seals, such as the O-ring packing 12 shown lying in grooves '14. The open end of piston 64 is closed by a plug it, and the open end of piston 66 is closed by a plug '78. Both plugs are screwed in so as to have their outer faces flush with the bottoms of slots 65 and 61 respectively, in order to present a greater area to the actuating fluid when the piston is against the casing end wall.

Between its ends, internal member 5 may be provided with plug portions 80 and '82. These plug portions are of substantially the same dia l-- eter as pistons 64 and F56, and are provided with fluid seals similar to those of the pistons. Between piston cc and plug portion 80, there is an annular passage 84; between the two plug portions 8E! and 82 there is an annular passage 86; and between the plug portion 82 and piston 66 there is an annular passage 88. The purpose of these annular passages will be more completely set forth below.

Valve means consisting of two pairs of valves, indicated generally at 89 and at, are provided with suitable conduits to conduct air under pressure to the opposite cylinders 53 and Hi to move the internal member .6 into its plurality of operating positions. The valves may be secured by example by a spring.

any suitable means to casing 2, as for example by means of plates 9!, threaded members 92, and sleeves or bushings 93. See especially Fig. '7. Thus the upper portion of casing 2 provides a base for the support of the pilot valve mechanism consisting of the valves, their connecting conduits, the external connections, and the valve operating mechanism.

Referring now to the valve means in greater :detail, the means 89 preferably comprises two valves 94 and 96, and the means comprises two valves 98 and W0. Valves 94, 9B, 98 and 100 are substantially identical and consist simply of a passage closed by a 'reciprocable .plug member; the plug member is preferably biased toward its closed position by :any suitable means, as for The details of these valves form no part of this invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that suitable valves for the purpose required here are obtainable from several different sources.

Passage 5.52m the casing 2 wasre'ferred to above as being in constant communication with the source of compressed air. As is best seen in Fig. 7, passage 52 communicates with a passage M92 in a block [0.4. .A T-shaped external connection W6 (Fig. 9) is in communication. with the passage W2. A conduit ms. connects one arm of the T with the top. of valve 515. A conduit HI! connects valve '96 with one. arm of another external connection T H2, of which the leg is in direct communication with passage 55 (Fig. 4),. The opposite arm of T H2 is connected to a conduit I14 which connects with the top of valve 93. Valve 98 communicates with the atmosphere through the short conduit ,l [6.

A conduit H8 connects the other arm 01 T H15 with the top of valve I00. Av conduit I20 connects valve N10 with an external connection. [-22 (Fig. 10). The connection .122 is in direct .communication with passage 58. A conduit I24 is in fluid communication with connection I22 and goes at its other end to the top of valve 94. A short conduit. H26 communicates valve 9.4 with the atmosphere.

The plungers of the valves '94, .96, 19B and 1.00 are arranged to be reciprocated into valve-open position by a camming mechanism, indicated generally at 528. This mechanism consists, in the preferred form, of: a rocker arm L36 pivoted at I32, having a cam follower I34 and valve actuating leg I38; a rocker arm I38 pivoted at 440, h ving a cam follower I42 and valve actuating leg HM; and a cam 146 having a cam surface .141, notched as shown at Hi8, and mounted for rotation on a shaft M9. by any suitable .powersupplied to input shaft L50 and delivered through reduction gears l 52 and a gear reduction .unitenclosed in the .box 154. vA spring 156 has its opposite ends secured to the rocker arms 13D and 438 to bias the cam followers I34 and M2 into close engagement with the cam surface M].

.It will thus be understood by one skilled in the art that the pilot valve of this invention provides a control device comprising asource-of fluid under pressure, whichin this case maybe considered the conduit 44; first conduit means connecting that source to the valve mechanism which is to be controlled, the firstconduit means constituting here the two conduits Hi8 and 1+0, as well as those portions of the casingof valve which serve as conduit means; second conduit means connecting the .source with, the valve mechanism to be controlled, the second-conduit means consisting in the embodiment shown of the conduits H8 and I20 along with those portions of the casing of valve I00 which also serve as conduit means; first and second stop valves 96 and I00 in the first and second conduit means respectively; third conduit means connecting the mechanism with the atmosphere consisting of conduits I24 and I26 and those portions of the casing of valve 94 which serve as conduit means; fourth conduit means connecting the valve mechanism to atmosphere consisting in the illustrated embodiment of the conduits II 4 and H6, as well as those portions of the casing of valve 98 which serve as conduit means; third and fourth stop valves 94 and 98 in the third and fourth conduit means respectively; and actuating mechanism to open the normally closed valves consisting of the rocker arms I30 and I38 and the cam I28. v

Operation In the specified application of this invention to the oxygen generating equipmentas disclosed in the above identified applications, it is desired that the incoming air and outgoing effluent inter change conduits on the order of every three minutes. To that end, cam I46 is rotated by means of the reduction gears I52 and the gear reduction unit in the box I 54 to make one revolution in approximately six minutes. When the notch I48 has rotated into a position opposite cam follower I34, the cam follower drops into the notch, as shown in Fig. 8, because the two cam followers are biased toward the shaft I49 by the spring I56. When the cam follower I34 drops into the notch, rocker arm I30 pivots about its pin I32 and the valve actuating leg I36 moves the plungers of valves 98 and I00 into valveopen position.

When valve I00 opens, compressed air flows from conduit 44, which is always connected to the compressed air supply, through the passage 46, annular groove or recess 24, passages 52 and I02, T-connection I96, conduit II8, valve I00, conduit I20, connection I22, and passage 58 to the left end of cavity 4 and cavity In, whereby compressed air is admitted to cylinder 68 and acts on piston 64 to move the internal member 6 to the right into the operating position shown in Fig. 4.

In this position, compressed air flows from conduit 44, through passage 46, radial passages 32, annular passage 86 between the two plug portions 80 and 82, through radial passages 34, passage 50, and to the first heat exchanger by way of conduit 48. Waste gas or efiluent from the first heat exchanger flows through conduit 40 into passage 42, through radial passages 30, annular passage 84, radial passages 28, passage 38 and into conduit 36 which is always connected with the exhaust. It will be noted that the radial passages 69 and 62 in the internal member serve no purpose for this particular phase of the function, inasmuch as radial passages 62 open into a closed chamber of very small volume.

Simultaneously with the opening of valve I00, valve 98 is opened. With valve 98 open, the right hand cylinder I0 is vented to atmosphere by way of passages 54 and 56, T-connect-ion II2, conduit II4, valve 98, and conduit II6, thus permitting the internal member 6 to move to the right without interference by compression of the air in cylinder I0.

As cam I46 continues to rotate clockwise, as seen in Figs. 3, 7 and 8, the first notable event is the closing of valves 98 and I 00. After an interval of say three minutes, the notch I48 appears opposite the cam follower I42, whereupon rocker arm I38 pivots in response to spring tension and opens valves 94 and 96. When valve 96 opens, fluid under pressure flows from conduit 44 through passage 46, annular groove 24, passages 52 and I02, T-connection I06, conduit I08, valve 96, conduit IIO, T-connection II2, passages 56 and 54 to the right hand cylinder 10. The internal member 6 is thereupon moved sharply to the left into the operating position shown in Fig. 5.

There is no resistance to the leftward movement of member 6 by the air in the left hand cylinder 68, because valve 94 opened at the same time that valve 96 opened, venting cylinder 68 to atmosphere by way of passage 58, connection I22, conduit I24, valve 94, and conduit I26.

With the internal member 6 in the operating position shown in Fig. 5, air flows to the first heat exchanger from conduit 44 through passage 46, radial passages 32, annular passage 86, radial passages 30, passage 42, and conduit 40. Thus, whereas previously conduit 40 was connected to receive waste gas, it is now connected to the compressed air line. Waste gas or effluent, in the operating position shown in Fig. 5, now returns from the first heat exchanger by way of conduit 48, passage 50, radial passages 34 and 62, the inside of member 6, radial passages 60 and 28, passage 38, and conduit 36 to the exhaust.

One of the advantages of a reversing mechanism of the type shown here is the fact that it operates to give a sudden or sharp action, equivalent to an explosion and sufficient to impart a physical shock to the apparatus such as will sufiice to jar solid impurities loose from the walls of the heat exchanger or exchangers in the system. Other advantages lie in the simplicity of construction and in the fact that the internal member 6 is not subjected radially to any unbalanced pressures. Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pilot valve device comprising a base, a first fluid passage provided in the base, an external connection to said first passage, a source of fluid under pressure connected to said first passage, a second fluid passage provided in the base, an external connection to said second passage, first conduit means connected with said first passage external connection and with said second passage external connection, a third fluid passage provided in the base, an external connection to said third passage, second eonduit means connected with said first passage external connection and with said third passage external connection, first and second stop valves in the first and second conduit means respectively and mounted on the base in spaced apart relation, third conduit means connected with said third passage external connection and with the atmosphere, fourth conduit means connected with said second passage external connection and with the atmosphere, third and fourth stop valves in the third and fourth conduit means respectively and mounted on the base in spaced apart relation, with rcspfi t to leach Qth and adiascnt, he fi'nst and rs s lac .s Q-p al cs r sznect vcly e h aid al e having c d ng me ns urg ng i chased and Wing m abl t Ope posii n, means to open "th first and hi d val cs simultaneously, other means to open the second nd sur h: al es simulta ccusly, a cam p051- tim to c uate the tw la -men cd means, an 25 11 5? cf pow r connect d n Qperate th 3.3m-

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the valve opening means -.cqnstitute .100ke1 arms mountgg on apposite Sides of the cam.

Adcvice according .110 claim 2, in which the cam s a l atalqle m mber a ns a substanall cylindr cal am -u ace pmvidad with a recess.

A de ic a o ing to claim 1, im whi tbc-sam s a 's hmntiall ylindri al m mber havin m caw 1. 0 allo nw m n i th c m fpllow r adially nwar f. he m tq d its axis .of mtat ion,

WIN W. PAGET.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STA ES A'I' S Number Name Dat 6 77 Br ml y ay 9 1.8 21,562 Hm m Fen 2.4 190 63 -694= Ra i-awn V .-,-T----.-V n 2 19 4 11. 923 9 Heinrich :2 Apr 7, 1914 ,552 331 $91311 1 25 1,9 6 5 a 1, 193, 2,283,398 I May 19, 1 942 2,317,065 Kaelin Apr. 20, 1943 2,369,505 Ward 1,, Feb 13, 1945 

